c1918

- Young Marcus apprenticed to Master Jeweler, and serves a traditional seven-year apprenticeship.

1930

- After several years as a journeyman, Marcus is awarded the Mastercraftsman Diploma by Vienna Gold and Silversmith Guild as a “Casemaker” specializing in intricate enameled compacts, pillboxes, cigarette cases and similar items.

1930-1937

- As a Mastercraftsman, Reller is now permitted to open his own jewelry business and soon his products are being sold across Europe through the finest retailers.

1937

- Nazis invade Austria

1938

- Reller escapes to Italy to avoid persecution for his anti-Nazi political activities. (Years later he confides that his girl friend had been tortured and killed by the Nazis.)

1939

- Reller finds work first in Naples and then in Milan while awaiting reactivation of a fortunate 1914 Visa application to America. Reller is well received by the Italians and never forgets their hospitality

- Visa granted and Reller sails for New York.

1940

- Marcus finds employment in New Jersey and immediately begins trying to bring mother and brother out of Europe. Eventually he succeeds by bringing them to America through El Salvador.

1946

- With Mathias Austin, Reller established “Aurel” in New York City producing high end, die struck gold watch bracelets for top European and domestic brands under the Niagara trademark.

1956

- Aurel is sold. Reller relocates to sunny Miami, Florida, where he establishes Reller, Inc., producing souvenir Charms for the booming Florida, Cuba, Bahamas, and Caribbean tourist market.

- Reller registers the Lone Palm trademark with the US Patent & Trademark Office as his trademark of excellence and a reminder that after a life of trial and tribulation, he has finally found “his place in the sun.”

1947

- Born in Irvington, New Jersey, raised in New York, then . . .

1956

- Moved to Miami Beach.

- Science Nerd (Science Fair Projects)

1962 - 1963

- Interested in sports cars, engines, and airplanes.

- First car; ’58 MG-A Roadster.

1965

- Flying lessons – High School graduation present from Dad.

- Flight time between Miami and Gainesville.

- University of Florida; degree in Physics.

- Civil Rights Movement – Antiwar activist (“Gainesville is the Berkeley of the South” according to Gloria Steinem)

- Sailing Club at UF – Motorcycles, rebuilding projects

- Skydiving, spelunking, Mensa membership.

- 1st motorcycle—Ducati “Bronco.”

1967

- San Francisco, Haight-Ashbury for The Summer of Love. Bernard’s “Hippie” roots. Camping around California.

- Acquire 1962 XK-E Jaguar—repaired and maintained.

1968–1969

- Europe/Israel – hitchhiking and backpacking. Several trips.

- Graduate UF; Physics.

- Leather/Sandal Shop; East Village, New York.

1970

- Graduate School in Physics, then worked for University building experimental apparatus, later formed Technical Pictorial Service, a subcontractor to the Physics and Astronomy Departments producing technical drawings.

1972

- Travel to Caribbean, Grand Cayman – became salvage diver/ship’s engineer. Several expeditions in later years. Met Mel and Deo Fisher and other treasure hunters along the way.

1973

- Bought 10 acres and built cabin near Gainesville, the future “Studio in the Woods.”

1974

- Establish a casting company, Casting P.B.S in Coconut Grove (Miami) to serve Reller, Inc., the family business. Quickly picked up the “designer” trade, expanding into production of other designers’ jewelry lines.

- Took up hot air ballooning with Miami Balloon Club.

1975

- Jewelry: Produced “Jaws” pendant and shark’s tooth items – then decided to concentrate on nautical designs and sea life.

1978

- Gainesville cabin. Set up “Studio in the Woods.”

1979

- Part interest in small grass airstrip near the cabin and soon acquired a 1947 Cessna 140 taildragger, an on-going restoration project.

- Start of the infamous “BOO” parties with coworkers and friends—mini “Woodstock” Festival in Gainesville at Halloween – rock music and an annual commemorative pendant symbolizing the theme of the party. Still going after 25 years now has a life of its own spurred on by original participants who return from all over the country who return for an annual reunion.

- Maintains interest in flying, ballooning, skydiving and sailing.

- Navigate 40 foot Catamaran, “Anuanua” based in St. Augustine, FL. Sail Florida and Bahamas waters.

1980

- Gold price goes to $850, halts gold business dead. ($800 would equate to something like  $3000 of today’s dollars.)

- Travel to London to work in Sterling Silver with The Great Frog, Limited. The Great Frog had several stores around London and in Wimbledon on the High Street. This family of Kiwis and Americans specialized in jewelry for “Heavy Metal” musicians and French tourists, and maintain a small music-recording studio just off London’s famous Carnaby Street.

- Return to US when gold prices retreat to acceptable levels.

- The “Caribbean” Nautical Collection goes back into production and expands.

1982

- Reller, Inc. relocates to Gainesville and merges with Collections by Bernard. Marcus Reller “retires,” returns to Miami and creates a line of Diamond Tennis Bracelets—the coming fad.

1983 – 1984

- Nautical collection expands. Bernard travels the Caribbean lands top accounts. Keep territory for himself because he enjoys the people and lifestyle.

1983 - 1985

- Reller Gainesville markets the Diamond Tennis Bracelet and does very well—devotes much of its production to these bracelets.

1985

- Atocha “Mother Lode” is found is found off Key West by Mel Fisher’s Treasure Salvors group.

1986

- Sharper Image Catalog “challenges” Reller to improve on stainless steel production—start of Reller’s Nautical Cable Line.

1987

- Atocha treasure is distributed to investors. Bernard asked to mount coins and emeralds for Fisher—divers, investors. Interest in Atocha Treasure Coin jewelry explodes, as well as interest in other shipwrecks. Pirate Jolly Roger (Skull and Bones) is a popular motif along with the Treasure Coins.

- Bernard is approached by Chair of UF History Department to make replicas from an 80 pound Atocha Silver Bar donated by Dr. Eugene Lyon, whose research in Spain led Mel Fisher to the treasure. Reller now owns this and two other large Atocha bars and continues to produce replicas from the silver. Form friendship with Dr. Lyon.

1988

- Develops the Aero-Gold Collection of Fine Aircraft Jewelry and custom pilot’s wings. Produces logo jewelry for top aircraft companies and pilots’ organizations and National Pilots’ Gift Catalogs.

- Kathleen Schreiner Morris gives birth to Benjamin David Reller.

c.1990

- Acquires “Anuanua,” like most boats an on-going restoration project. Works on the boat as “recreation.”

- Creates University of Florida Gator Jewelry Collection, later named “SwampGold.”

1990s

- Expand Caribbean Collection Nauticals and engages in “Private Label” manufacturing for Wholesalers and Retailers: Service Merchandise, H. Stern, Little Switzerland.

1996

- Charriol’s “predatory” trademark lawsuit claims exclusive right to stainless steel cable. Claims stainless steel is the trademark. Reller named one of some forty odd defendants

1999

- Bernard accepts a challenge from then Jewelers of America, President, Stan Pollack, to construct a life-size Maine Lobster in 14K Gold to celebrate new G.M. Pollack store (G.M. Pollack and Sons) at Rockland, ME, Lobster Festival. Rocky, over a foot long makes his debut at the J.A. Summer Show at the Javits Center.

c.2003

- The patented ForeverFit™ Self Sizing Shank for rings revolutionizes the “arthritic” ring marketplace with superior ease of use, ease of installation, and continuous adjustability to a woman’s (and man’s) changing ring size, after ten years in development.

2003

- “Future Flyer,” 14K Sculpture of a Futuristic Wright Flyer wins the “Daedelus Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship"at the 2003 aviation art competition at Kitty Hawk's Wright Brothers’ Centennial Celebration.

2004 - 2007

- Pirate and Treasure Jewelry increasingly popular with “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies.

- Nautical Rigging Cable with Black Titanium introduced to compete with Black Rubber and Leather Men’s Jewelry.

- ForeverFit™ picked-up Stuller and other major findings houses. Sales increase dramatically.

- CAD-CAM (computer-aided design and manufacturing) Projects—Tiny Wright Flyer, New ForeverFit™ Ring models created using CAD technologies.